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Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase is a negative regulator of interleukin-10 production in macrophages 
Yi Rang Na1 , Daun Jung1 , Juha Song1 , Jong-Wan Park2,3,4 , Jung Joo Hong5 , Seung Hyeok Seok1,*
1Macrophage Lab, Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Institute of Endemic Disease, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Chongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
2Department of Biomedical Science, BK21-Plus Education Program, Seoul National University College ofMedicine, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
3Department of Pharmacology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
4Cancer Research Institute and Ischemic/Hypoxic Disease Institute, Seoul National University College ofMedicine, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
5National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Cheongju 28116, Republic of Korea
These authors contributed equally to this work.
*Correspondence to:Seung Hyeok Seok , Email:lamseok@snu.ac.kr
J Mol Cell Biol, Volume 12, Issue 7, July 2020, 543-555,  https://doi.org/10.1093/jmcb/mjz113
Keyword: macrophage, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, AMP-activated protein kinase, interleukin-10

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is the most potent anti-inflammatory cytokine in the body and plays an essential role in determining outcomes of many inflammatory diseases. Cellular metabolism is a critical determinant of immune cell function; however, it is currently unclear whether metabolic processes are specifically involved in IL-10 production. In this study, we aimed to find the central metabolic molecule regulating IL-10 production of macrophages, which are the main producers of IL-10. Transcriptomic analysis identified that metabolic changes were predominantly enriched in Kupffer cells at the early inflammatory phase of a mouse endotoxemia model. Among them, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK)-dependent acute glycolysis was negatively involved in IL-10 production. Inhibition or knockdown of PDK selectively increased macrophage IL-10 expression. Mechanistically, PDK inhibition increased IL-10 production via profound phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase alpha 1 (AMPKα1) by restricting glucose uptake in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages. AMPKα1 consequently activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein to regulate IL-10 production. Our study uncovers a previously unknown regulatory mechanism of IL-10 in activated macrophages involving an immunometabolic function of PDK.